Not The Bad Guy
by PaladinOmega
Summary: A short fic of Veronica's musings about the Brotherhood of Steel and it's reputation in the Mojave.


Disclaimer: I do not own Fallout, Fallout New Vegas, or any of the characters in the Fallout series. I do not profit from this story in any way, and was created by me, the author, only as a means of appreciation of the work Black Isle put into Fallout New Vegas and as entertainment for it's fans.

Preface: I got the "spark" for this story during a visit to the Lucky 38, where I ran upon Veronica and Boone sharing the same bed. Truth be told I originally intended this to be a story based on that, but I felt I couldn't portray that scenario well enough, so enjoy what was left of the story I typed out.

"Not the bad guy"

To put it frank, Veronica didn't have a single clue what was happening anymore.

When she had first met the Courier outside the 188 Trading Post, all Veronica had wanted was to see the world in a different life, but instead she, like many of the other people the Courier had met throughout the Mojave have been sucked into a three way struggle for control of the region.

During the struggle it seemed the Courier had his own plans, he had killed Mr. House, made several travels to the different families, the Great Khans, and Boomers and even the Brotherhood. He didn't seem to be helping the NCR, and definitely wasn't allying with Caesar's Legion. So what was the Courier up to?

He wasn't even limiting himself to the Mojave, over time the Courier told her of his exploits in New Canaan, the Big Empty, and even a chance meeting with her former mentor Elijah, and while Veronica was sad that he was gone, she felt little remorse for the man that near doomed the Brotherhood.

In fact, the Courier had even dealt with them as well, bringing the inevitable a little further away by signing a truce between them and the NCR. But Veronica didn't care much anymore, the massacre of the Followers being proof enough that she was better off without them.

"If the Brotherhood needed any real proof that technology shouldn't belong in the wrong hands, all they would have to do is look at themselves." Arcade commented after Veronica told him about the incident.

While Veronica knew he understood that she was sorry, she could tell Arcade was angry with her, and what irony, later she found out that he was affiliated with the Enclave, the Brotherhood's former enemies, and that he was going to fight alongside them at Hoover Dam.

The Dam, everyone knew the showdown there was coming, but while Oliver and Lanius planned their "strategies" the Courier vanished, having left out west to the Divide. Odd, Veronica didn't think there was anything left out there, but as long as the Courier was out there, Veronica waited at the Lucky 38, hoping that he would find whatever was waiting for him.

But even though she had left the Brotherhood, Veronica thought back to them often, she knew leaving them was the right choice, but hoped they would find their own way, just as she had. Except for McNamara, no one at Hidden Valley really liked her, whether it was from her close ties with Elijah, or her relationship with Christine, but they were sort of her family, and she missed them.

When Veronica told the Courier this all he said was that you can always begin again, but first you have to let go.

That seemed to be the theme with all of the Courier's companions, Raul found purpose again as a gunslinger, Cass made peace with the destruction of her caravan, Lily had stopped her psychotic rages, the dog Rex had a new lease on life and Boone made amends with himself on more then one topic.

Craig Boone was certainly an interesting person, their first interaction had her asking the sniper what his opinion on the Brotherhood was, just as Veronica had done with the Courier.

"Talked about them a bit on my tour, told me they were supposed to be my enemy, but I never ran into any, guess they must all be wiped out by now."

While Veronica didn't like the sniper's statement, she thought his views must be the same as most people in the Mojave. Until recently the lock down on Hidden Valley was still in effect, and the large presence of NCR in Vegas brought along the conception that the Brotherhood of Steel were the bad guys, stealing technology away and keeping it hidden.

But then the truce between the NCR and the Brotherhood was signed, when news of it broke out Boone came to her and apologized, which she accepted, not many knew the Brotherhood was still around, and even less knew Veronica was a, former, member of it.

After all, he wasn't the bad guy, and neither was she.

A week after Boone came to Veronica again, asking if she could take him to Hidden Valley, wanted to meet the actual Brotherhood for himself, the answer he gave when she asked why was quite strange.

"In the army, you didn't question who your enemy was, and you tried not to talk about them, but now I think that's wrong, I need to know who my enemy is now, that's what my past has taught me."

So Veronica gave him directions and a small hand written note explaining who he was and why he was going there, because she knew she had been banished from Hidden Valley, and there was no way she was getting back in. Boone gave a small "thank you" and left the Lucky 38 right after, as if this was something he had been waiting to do for his whole life.

While Boone was gone Veronica thought again of the Courier, who had been gone for two weeks in the Divide. The Courier mentioned a single name before leaving, Ulysses, she thought whether this Ulysses was a friend or an enemy to him.

Two days later Boone returned to the Lucky 38, Veronica was surprised to find out that they had let him in, though Boone mentioned that during his entire visit at Hidden Valley at least one person was eying him with an energy weapon.

"It's to be expected I guess." Boone commented.

"So are you satisfied? Do you know who your enemy is?" She asked him.

"Yeah, the only enemy I have now is the Legion." He replied.

Veronica was pleased, she knew the Brotherhood weren't that bad guys, and it was good to know at least one other person felt that was as well.


End file.
